never alone
by Kindred01
Summary: Merlin is a servant boy to another Prince, but he has to wear these chains to stop him from using magic and Arthur is sick with what his father and this other prince is doing to Merlin. warning...mpreg, abuse, e.c.t
1. This is the way we love

Merlin, another person's man servant, a visiting prince called Malcom who was a bully and didn't much for anyone even those who work for him. It bothered many in Camelot who saw the sickly thin boy walk cross the grounds fetching Prince Malcom's things. They have seen the bruises on his skin no matter how hard Merlin tried to hide it. The Prince of Camelot watched him and had noticed the sliver chains around his neck and wrists; they were thin but he knew what those chains meant; they were made to stop a person from using magic.

On the day of Prince Malcom's arrival, his father had started to turn red, screaming about a magic user being in his kingdom. But Malcom pointed out that Merlin couldn't use magic because of the chains and that seem to calm King Uther down. But the dark haired prince smirked and said, "Let me show you the best part," He grinned darkly and it made Arthur sick to his stomach.

"Not only did I have these chains made to stop him from using magic on me but I asked the maker of these fine chains to add a few extra bits," His hissed.

"Like?" Uther asked as he watched the dark haired man servant suddenly look scared. Malcom took a dagger off his belt and handed it to Merlin.

"Well go on, stab the prince," He told him.

"Malcom!" Uther warned.

"My king trust me you will love this and want one yourself," He beamed.

"Merlin!" He snarled when the dark haired boy hesitated for a moment, but he started to move towards the blonde prince and raised the dagger to his throat before he started to tremble and fell to the floor screaming in pain. Arthur was frozen, still shocked at what he was seeing as both his father and Malcom grinned and chuckled at the poor boy's pain.

"It will only harm magic users but it makes sure he can't kill me the normal way," The dark haired prince smiled as he used his foot to push Merlin onto his back and he lay there looking up blankly.

There was tears running down the side of his face but he remind quiet as a church mouse. "That is barbaric he is still a human and mortal being this..," Arthur started.

"Arthur! He is a magic user they have no rights," He hissed to his son.

"I'm sorry about my son, he is like his mother," Uther said to Malcom, Arthur felt sick and he was sure he was going to be. So he did the only thing he could think off and left the room.

The blonde Prince knocked on the door of the court physician's chambers. Gaius wasn't just a healer but he took the time to listen to problems and he helped Arthur to understand the world outside of his father's touch. The old man opened the door letting out a pink smoke behind him and making Arthur frown.

"Trying to make pink flowers," He muttered as he let Arthur in.

"Ah, for Morgana," He said with a sad smile, his father's ward and his younger sister. The poor girl was hit with a nasty smell that deaged her to a 10 year old girl but on a positive note Arthur can't help but think it's a good thing her mind deaged with her.

"What can I do for you my Lord?" He asked with a soft smile before he realised that his hands were pink.

"Prince Malcom's man servant has witching chain around his neck and wrists. He forced that boy to try and attack me but then he fell to the floor screaming in pain," Arthur sneered in distaste, but they both knew it was all aimed at the visiting Prince.

"What did the king do?" Gaius knew all too well what Uther is capable of as he had lost many friends thanks to that man.

"He laughed," Arthur sat down and closed his eyes trying to get the pain look on the boy's face out of his head "He looks bad," He whispered.

"I have heard the others in the village about Prince Malcom's treatment to his man servant," Gaius was quiet for a moment before speaking again. "It's no life for a magic user, Arthur. Imagine a dam and it's rained all year around nonstop. One day that dam will break and all that water that will come flooding will not only destroy him but people around him," The old man said with a sigh. The blonde haired prince frowned as he looked up at him with wide eyes. "What's his name?" Gaius said.

"Merlin." Arthur whispered as he watched the white flower slowly turn pink.

"Merlin… I… I had a nephew called Merlin," The prince leant forward and looked at him with wide eyes.

"What happened to him?" Arthur asked.

"He went missing. His mother thought it might have been because his father never knew of him. She died of a broken heart a year ago."

"Have you ever met Merlin, Gaius?" The older man shook his head.

"Not since he was six. But I know he has a scar on his stomach where he survived a dragon attack. The scar has never healed right."

"I will have a look if I can," Arthur promised.

It was a couple of days later when Arthur saw Merlin again and this time he had a large black bruises crossing his face. He stopped Merlin in the hall way.

"Merlin," He called out and the frightened dark haired boy looked at him with his bright blue eyes as he stopped.

"Y…Yes Prince Arthur," He whispered, his voice was strange; it was low and soft but it sounded like he couldn't speak any lower than that. Arthur reached out and stopped when Merlin flinched when he saw his hand. The prince slowly hooked his fingers under his chin and made him turn his head to look at the puffy bruise down the side of his face.

"Who did this?" Arthur asked.

"It was my fault," Merlin said pulling away from him. Arthur frowned and watched him look down at the ground.

"Why would it be your fault?" He asked, confused. The dark haired boy frowned before looking back up at the kind eyes staring at him.

"I…I didn't clean his boots right," He whispered.

"His boots," Arthur repeated flatly.

"His boots my Lord, and I need to go. If I'm late I won't be able to see tomorrow," He said as he moved away.

"Do you have a scar on your stomach from a dragon attack?" Merlin stopped and turned to look at him wide eyed before nodding. "I know your uncle, I will try and help you Merlin."

"MERLIN GET HERE NOW!" Malcom's voice suddenly boomed around the corner. Merlin turned around and ran towards the voice.

It seemed Malcom wasn't going anywhere any time soon and his treatment to Merlin was getting worst since his father enjoyed seeing the dark haired boy crying at his feet. He needed to do something; this was getting worst as the days went on. Gaius had found a way to remove the chains and now he just needed to get Merlin away from Malcom. One more dinner and he didn't think he would be able to stop himself from killing both his father and the other prince. Malcom was laughing as Merlin poured him his drinks but this time Merlin was sickly pale.

"Oh thank you for that potion I really didn't need people knowing about what I do in private," He said to Uther. The king hummed and looked at Merlin.

"He doesn't look that good maybe he should rest," It was the only nice thing his father had said for Merlin since they arrived.

"He will rest when I am asleep. It's just the potion killing the baby."

Arthur choked on his food as he dropped his knife and fork to the floor and started retching. Uther grabbed Merlin's arm and held it tightly making him wince.

"WHAT DID YOU DO TO THE FOOD YOU LITTLE W***!" Uther snarled at him, but Malcom smiled.

"He didn't do anything, your son just can't stand a little discipline it seems."

Outraged blue eyes met with almost black orbs as Arthur snarled.

"This is not discipline! Discipline would make him muck out the horses for a week or clean all boots in the castle not r*** him and impregnate him then give him a poison to kill the child!" Arthur suddenly turned his outburst to his father. "How could you give it to him you're the one who deemed that all pregnancies are miracles!" Arthur yelled at his father.

"Not if the child is magical." Uther said as he took a drink "I think you should go to your chambers. You aren'tthinking clearly. Just because he has a pretty face doesn't mean you can lose your head over it," Arthur knocked over his wine as he stood up.

"HE IS GAIUS' NEPHEW!" He yelled "THINK CLEARLY ON THAT!" Then he slammed the door as he left.

What Arthur did wasn't a good idea as he basically proved what his father said about him not thinking clearly. But Arthur did in fact had fallen for the blue eyed, dark haired boy and he wanted nothing more than to holding him close and tell him he was safe.

Arthur couldn't sleep that night and started to go for a workout on the ground when he saw the dark haired prince walk into a private stalls where the royal horses where placed. Malcom walked in there with Merlin but only came out alone a while later, and while normally Arthur would have thought he was getting Merlin to clean out his horse stall, but when five other men walked into the stall Arthur felt dread fill his bones.

He stood up and walked over to the stalls, going up to the doors to hear sounds of pained m*** and grunts. There was cheers and laughter from the five men as Arthur walked in.

"Come on your master said you were good at this!" One chuckled just as the Prince rounded the corner to see the men forcing Merlin to take their c*** into his mouth and arse

"Get away from him now!" Arthur snarled, and all five men dropped Merlin onto the ground, hastily pulling up their trousers and looking at the Prince of Camelot in shock. "Don't dawdle just get out of here now!" He yelled, and the men hastily obeyed as he walked over to Merlin who was trying to pull his clothes on whilst moving himself into a corner.

There was tears running down his face as he turned away from Arthur and started to throw up. "Shhh its okay, they are gone," He whispered as he knelt in front of him and looked at him.

"He will be mad now," Merlin whispered, referring to Malcom as the prince held out his hand to him

"Don't worry about him. Gaius can take those chains off, you won't ever have to worry about him or my father. I will deal with them." Merlin wanted to believe him so badly, but he was lost and he didn't have anyone since he was 14. That was three years ago and he is just as lost as the first time he was taken from his home.

There was banging on his door, and Gauis pulled himself to it and opened the door to find himself looking at the prince as he carried Merlin in.

"I need you to take those chains off tonight," Arthur deadpanned as he pushed passed him and into the man's chambers.

"Merlin," Gaius whispered as he watched the prince place his nephew onto the bed in the spare room. Gauis gathered his things and rushed into the room where the boy he hadn't seen since he was six was laying curled up on his side holding the Prince of Camelot's hands as he cried into the pillow.

"Merlin my sweet boy I am so sorry I should have looked for you myself," Gaius muttered sadly as he set to work.

"I don't blame you," Merlin whispered. "Just get these off me."

Hours later, just as the sun was rising, the witching chains were taken off Merlin as they melted off his skin and onto the ground. The dark haired boy gasped and fell onto his back, arching himself off the bed and screaming as he felt his magic warm him again. Both Arthur and the Gaius watched somberly as Merlin spent most of the day twitching as his magic took control over his body that it didn't have since he was of fourteen years.

"Your father will be mad at you," The old man whispered

"I am aware of that. But I will deal with my father and Malcom," He said darkly. Arthur dared to touch Merlin, thinking of how his skin was like thunder and lightning with the powerful magic racing within Merlin's body.

"No you should let Merlin deal with them, because if you're caught they will behead you," The prince shook his head and looked up at him.

"I can't let him do that, I won't use him like they have. I want him safe," He whispered, Gauis ran his fingers down his face.

"You love him," it wasn't a question, but he answered anyway.

"Yes."


	2. Happy ending

Malcom was fuming. His man servant was missing, and no one said anything about what happened to him.

Even the five men that Malcom sent on Merlin said they had had their fill and left him. Which was a clear lie but Malcom didn't need to know that Arthur had gotten to them first and threatened to have them burnt alive on an open spit should they say anything. Arthur didn't want anyone finding Merlin before he had time to get his strength back.

Malcom stopped Arthur in the Hallways and pushed him to the wall stopping the other servants from their duties.

"Where is he!" The dark haired man snarled as he pulled out the same dagger that he had forced Merlin to use on their first meeting.

"I have no idea what you're talking about Malcom," He said looking blankly at him. The visiting Prince pushed the tip of the dagger under his chin letting small beads of blood trickle down the shiny blade.

"If I don't get my man servant back I will make sure to send word back to my father and he will kill that b***'s child," he hissed. Arthur frowned at him and pushed him back, not tolerating to be silent and pushed roughly against a wall anymore.

"What child? You seem to make sure he can't have any!" He snarled as he wiped the blood off his chin but the dark haired man smirked at him.

"Ah, the b*** never told you, did he. Once I learnt that he was magical I had those chains made up but I thought I should at least have one child out of him. Never know when I would have to replace the b***." He grinned at the blonde haired prince.

Before Arthur could throttle Malcom two guards came running down the hallway.

"My Lord you're to come with us for attacking the Prince of Camelot."

Malcom looked shocked and started to attack the guard, earning him a punch to the face as he was dragged away through the halls.

"Give him one of the nice cells." Arthur hissed as they took him away.

It was then that he caught sight of his little adoptive sister looking around the corner. He walked over to the little dark haired girl and looked down at her as she held out a hanky for the blood still slowly trickling from his chin. "You shouldn't have seen that or heard what he said," Arthur said

"He's mean about Merlin." She whispered as Arthur wiped the blood away with a slight grimace.

"You spoke to Merlin?" He asked her and she nodded, her curly black hair bouncing as she did.

"I like him, he makes me smile," Morgana told him, and the blonde prince nodded with a small smile himself as he picked her up and carried her back to her room.

"Yeah? What does he tell you?" He asked her.

"He tells me stories of the Dragon prince who was marked by a dragon," Arthur raised a questioning eye brow as they walked into her chambers.

"A Dragon Prince. Well that is different," He smiled as he set her down on her bed.

"I called them the Dragon Prince, though Merlin calls the boy in the story the Dragon Lord. And he can speak to dragons and become friends with them. But then a mean man kidnapped him and hurt him," She tells him as she kicks her feet out, smiling happily, unaware that Merlin had more or less told her of his life.

"Did Merlin tell you the ending?" She shook her head.

"No not yet, I hope he does though," She smiled up at him.

The door opened and Morgana's lady in waiting walks in. Gwen bowed to Arthur before looking over at Morgana.

"Did you run off again? You're meant to be doing your homework young lady," She smiled making the little girl giggle.

"I'm sorry my Lord. I turn my back for a moment and she's running off," she told Arthur dutifully.

"Its alright Guinevere. Thank you for taking care of her, you're doing a good job," She blushed and nodded.

"Thank you my Lord."

Later on…

Arthur went back to Gaius' chambers and walked into the man's home, finding Gaius now trying to make purple roses.

"How is he today?" He asked the older man. Gaius looked up and smiled softly at him.

"He is doing better. His magic is helping him heal," He told the prince. Arthur nodded and walked into the spare room to see the dark haired boy sitting up in bed looking into a book.

"Hi," Arthur said, Merlin jumped a little and looked up to see the blonde Prince and smiled at him.

"Hi," Merlin said back, his voice a whisper. Arthur walked into the room and took a seat next to his bed and watched him for a moment before he spoke.

"Do you have a child back at Malcom's castle?" He asked, watching as the dark haired boy froze in fear as he looked at Arthur.

"H…How… how…!" He stuttered, anxiety clear in his eyes.

"Malcom told me," Arthur quickly replied. Merlin looked down at the pages of the book and Arthur could see tears well up in his eyes.

"It was the only one he would allow to live," Merlin whispered as he turned to look at him.

"I need to get your son away from his castle," Merlin smiled at him softly, and reached out and cupped the prince's cheek.

"Don't worry now I have my magic back I can get him here safely," He smiled up at him. Arthur touched his wrists were the scars from the chains remained like the one around his neck.

"I don't want you to overdo it with magic, Merlin. You just got your strength back," He could see the worry in Merlin's eyes before he closed them when he felt the Prince's hand on his cheek, rubbing the skin with his thumb.

Arthur had to deal with his father and Malcom and the only way he could think of getting rid of them was to kill them. As harsh as it was, even to him, Merlin was now more important to him, more than his own father. And if Uther was a risk to Merlin's life, and he was, then that was what he had to do, and what he was ready to do.

He had the plan all set out; his father had already got Malcom free from the cells and they were planning to go hunting. And that was when Arthur would strike. He would use arrows, showering them with it and make it look like attack on Uther and Malcom, as if thinking those two to be father and son.

But when he had his plan all set out to kill both his father and the other Prince, someone else beat him to it.

Uther was killed by Malcom in the throne room in front of half a dozen knights and guards, and it only stood to reason that Malcom was killed then and there - especially when he tied to kill Morgana as well.

"Did you have something to do with it?" Arthur later asked the dark haired warlock. Despite feeling light that the murder of his father wasn't on his hands, he still would have felt responsible nonetheless had Merlin been behind it in any way either.

But bright blue eyes looked back up at him as Merlin shook his head.

"I promise you Arthur, I didn't do anything. But maybe you should speak to Morgana. She's quite powerful for a ten year old," The blonde prince just stared at him in shock.

He didn't want to think that Morgana could use her powers again. As a ten year old, she seemed to not remember what she was like before she was enchanted, when her powers were clouding her judgment.

"She not really 10 is she?" Merlin asked, bringing Arthur from his thoughts.

"She is now," Arthur replied shortly.

There was a knock at the door making the prince look around and he watched as Gaius walked in with a small child with thick mope of back hair and bright blue eyes. He was the perfect mini version of Merlin.

"Mama," The boy whispered, seeing his mother in bed before running over to him.

"Adair," Merlin whimpered as he buried his face into his son' hair and cried as he held him close. Arthur stood up and backed out with Merlin's uncle and closed the door quietly.

Arthur leaned on the door and looked at the older man whose hands were a fun shade of green and blue, most likely due to the many experiments of flowers for Morgana.

"I want to move Merlin and Adair to the castle where I can keep an eye on them and...and I want to lift my father's magic ban law for Merlin, Adair and…and Morgana's sakes," He said as he looked to at the old man, who smiled at him.

"Thank you Arthur. I never thought I would see Merlin again, and what you are doing… and what you are going to do, is more than enough for me to guarantee my nephew - and his son's - happiness," Gaius said warmly. Arthur smiled at him before frowning in thought.

"Is Merlin a Dragon Prince?" Gaius frowned at him in confusion and tilted his head.

"I mean Dragon Lord. Sorry," Arthur corrected himself and watched as recognition covered Gaius' eyes before moving away.

The old man waved him over to the table and got out two goblets and poured some wine into their goblets. "His father is. If his father has died though, then it would pass to his son," Gaius told Arthur somberly. The blonde Prince looked at him as he held his goblet. "May I ask how you knew?" Gaius asked.

"He told Morgana a story." He smiled, remembering how Morgana told him Merlin was a Dragon .Prince'.

…5 years later...

Arthur smiled as he woke up first. The sun hadn't yet rose but he couldn't help but feel wide awake as he rolled onto his side and wrapped his arm around his husband.

Merlin smiled and pushed himself back into the king's warmth feeling his hand drifted down his arms and then over the small swell where their child grew inside of Merlin.

"Ummm, someone is happy." Merlin purred into his pillow.

"I'm happy I can hold you and keep you and our children safe," Arthur said. He felt the dark haired man roll over onto his side and look up at him in the darkness with a smile lit up with the faint light.

"I'm happy too. I never thought I would find happiness. But you saved me and you loved me and my son. I want to put everything bad that happened in the past because I can't imagine a life without you in it," Merlin said looking up into the rich blue eyes of his husband.

The King of Camelot had gotten down on one knee and asked Merlin to marry him three years ago, and to his shock Merlin had said yes to him. He had thought that the dark haired boy would say no, but when the ring slid onto his finger he beamed like a star at night before promptly wrapping his arms around Arthur's neck and hugging him.

Then, a little over four months ago, Merlin told him some wonderful news that they were going to have a baby.

Merlin has his arms wrapped around his husband and kissed him softly, enjoying the low glow of the sun slowly rising. He couldn't help but smile into the kiss. The scars around his neck and wrists might never go and the memory of what Malcom done to him until over three to four years he can't forget, but he wants to move on and give his son a good happy life along with their adoptive daughter Morgana, - whom they still didn't manage to cure, though Merlin had a feeling it wasn't because they couldn't - and the new baby when she or he arrived.


End file.
